Aircraft novelty



Filed Feb. 20. 1923 11 lV La ,i Q e M l vf l E E vwnto'c dav/1.

tween the win Patented Nov. 25, 1924.

UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL GORDON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW OBK.

AIRCRAFT NOVELTY.

Application led February 20, ,1923. Serial No'. 620,142.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL GORDON, a subject of Russia, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State ofNew York, have invented a certain The invention has for itsl principal object the provision of an attractive and novel mtoyY for children, designed especially to hold the attention and sustain the interest throughout the life of the toy.

The invention is applied particularly to a toy which. simulates an aircraft structure, some of the principles of which will be itmnd advantageous in the full-sized aircra It is a further object of this invention to provide a device having the properties and characteristics hereinbefore mentioned, and which is at the same time inexpensive and extremely easy to manufacture.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a toy of the-type described, which can be readily collapsed so as to occup a minimum of space and thus facilitate its 'pment and the carrying of lar e quantities thereof within a comparative y small container.

Further, this invention' has for its object the provision of a collapsible toy which is nevertheless simple and easy to set u even by children themselves, v'with the ai of a few simple directions.

More particularly, this invention provides a device comprising essentially an expansible member, such. as a balloon, and wings and struts .adapted to' maintain the deviceV in the air. The parts are so positioned that the balloon in an ex anded position supplies in itself the tenslon necessary to maintain it against movement in a vposition beand the struts.

Further, this invention has for. its object the construction of a device as hereinbefore described, composed of materials especially ada ted to render the toy effective as an air cra With these and other objects in view,'to be more fully set forth hereinafter, the invention consists in the 'novel construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the operation and construction hereinafter described in the following specication and illustrated in the accompanyin drawings, considered together or se arate y.

The inventive idea invo ved is'capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions, some of which, for the purpose'of illustration, are shown in the accompanying drawings.

The invention will rst be described in connection with the accompanyin drawings, illustrating one embodiment o the invention, wherein similar reference characters are used to Vdesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and then more specifically deiined and indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: V Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device embodyin my invention.V

Fig. 2 l1s a view of the device in a collapsed position.

Fig. 3 is aa detail of modified form of wmg. l

Referrin to the drawings, there is shown an expansi 1e member 10 of exible, resilient material adapted to be expanded by filling it with air, or a gas lighter than air, un-

der pressure. This expansible member may be a balloon of the usual type, elongated as shown. Where a lighter-than-air gas is employed within the balloon, the latter will be capable of rising through the air. n

For sustaining the balloon in the air, or merely for the purpose of simulating closely a form of air craft, the balloon may be provided with a wing structure of the type familiar in connection with biplanes. This wing structure may comprise `an u per plane 11 and a lower lane 12, said p anes eing connected toget er and held aced by a plurality of struts 13, 14. The p anes may be provided with slots 15 and the struts may be provided with tenons 16 ada ted to t into said slots. A number of sai struts 13 are positioned near the outer ends of the planes while certain other of said struts 14 are positioned adjacent the center. of said lane. The distance between the up rand ower planes may be substantially as vthe distancebetween the struts 14. This distance is slightly less than the diameter of the balloon when the latter is expanded, so that the balloon in its expanded' condition may be forced into the space bounded by said struts 14 and theupper and lower planes, and be held frictionally 'wherever positioned.

The wing structure may be of flexible inaterial. and the mortise and tenon joints formed between the struts and lanes may be substantially pivotalconnections due to the flexibility of the material. The struts are all arranged substantially parallel and since the connection between .said struts,- and `the planes are pivotal, there is formed a sub- -to occupy substantially the volume ci two fil layers each the thickness of a plane. This.

volume is, of course, a minimum, and a lar e number of such wing structures may e packed within a comparatively small container. The balloons may, of course, be exhausted at will and collapsed by untying a string which closes the open end thereof. If

desired, the struts may be removed completelyv lfrom'the planes and handled separately. 4The planes may then be piled one directly on the other.

When in the fully set u position, the expanded balloon is inserted in the space between the struts 14 and the upper and lower planes and since the diameter of the balloon tii slightly greater than the distance between e 14t ere will be a tendency to disconnect the planes from the tenons of s truts 14. To obviate. this, there may ybe provided iexible members such as cords 20, pass'ng around the 1 1 per and lower planesfadjacent each set o struts 14. Tle two flexible members may be 'oined above the upper plane by a .cord or andle 22 to facilitate carrying ozl?V the set-upA device.

The wing structure maybe madev of any desired or suitable'material. When used as a toy, this materialshould preferably be ofminlmum weight. It may, therefore, be

made of cardboard or similar material, or if desired the "struts may be of more rigid material while tlm planes are made of. li hter material. Thus the planes may be ma e of -parchment aper or they may be in the form of frames see Fig. '3) eachhaving an outer rim 25` of a more rigid material such as cardboard and an inner portion 26 of lighter material such as tissue paper. The struts are all arranged adjacent to the cuter edges of the' planes so that in'eases`where said planes are in the form of frames, the tenons anes or the distance between the struts fromV the spirit of my invention and, therefore, I claim broadly the right to employ all,

equivalent Linstrumentalities coming within the scope of the appended claims, and by means of which the 'objectsof my invention are attained, and the new results, accomplished', as herein set forth, as it is' obvious that the particular embodiments herein shown and. described are onlysome of many and can be employed to attain these objects and accomplish .these results.

Having now described `my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Ina device of the character described, an inllated member, a wing structure, and means whereby said lmember is `rictionally held in said structure.

2. In a device of the character described, a distendible member and a wing structure connected thereto and comprising upper and` lower planes and struts vconnecting said planes, said struts being detachably connected to said lanes.

3. In a evice of the characterdescribed,`

a distendible member and a win structure frictionally, attached thereto an comprising upper and lower planes and struts connectng said planes, said struts being detachably connected to said planes.

4. In a device of the character described, a wing lstructure comfprisin upper and lower planes, and 'a isten ible member -frictionally held between said planes.

5. In a device of the character described,

a wing structure comprising upper and lower planes, and struts connectin eld between said planes and between certain of'said struts.

6. In a device/of the character described, a wing structure comprising upper and lower planes, and an inflated mem r frictionally eld between saidplanes and ositioned substantially centrally of said p anes.

7. In a device of the character described, a wing structure comprising upper and lower lplanes and struts connecting vsaid planes, said struts being positioned adjacent the center of said planes, and an inflated memberl frictionallyheld between said planes and between said struts.

8. .In a device of the character described a wing structure comprising `upper and said planes, .and an inflated'member frictionally lower planes and struts connecting said planes, certain of said struts being positioned adjacent the center of said planes, and an inflated member frictionall held between said planes and between sai struts adjacent the center of said planes.

9. In a device of the character described, a pluralit of planes, a plurality of connecting mem rs for said lanes, and a distendible member adaptedJ to be inserted between said planes, and when distended to p lace said connecting members under tenslon.

10. In a device of the character described, a plurality of parallel planes, a lurality of connectin members secured to t e mar 'ns of said p anes and securing them toget er, and a distendible meniber adapted to be inserted between said lanes and when distended to place sai connecting members under tension. l

11. In a device of the character described, a plurality of parallel planes, a pluralit of struts connecting said planes together, igamentary elements encircling said lanes, and means for lacing said struts an ligamentary elemen under tension.

12. In a device of the character described, a pair of parallel planes, connecting members for securing said planes together, and an inflatable member positioned l between said planes, adapted, when inflated, to place said connectin members under tension.

13. In a device of the characterdescribed, a pai'r of parallel planes, struts joining the marginsl of said planes, and an inllatable member positioned between said planes and adapted, when inflated, to put said struts under tension.

14. In a device of the character described, a pair of parallel planes, struts connecting said planes, li aments encircling said planes, and an inlata le member positioned between said planes and, when inflated, adapted to place said struts and said ligaments under tension. y

15. In a device of the character described. a pair of parallel planes, parallel struts connecting said planes, said struts being of such length and so spaced as to form with said planes a chamber adjacent the longitudinal center of said planes, said chamber having equal, opposite square embrasures, and an inflatable member adapted to be inserted in said chamber and when inflated to place said planes and struts under tension.

16. In a device of the character described, a pair of parallel planes, parallel struts connecting said planes, said struts being of such length and so spaced as to form with said planes a chamber adjacent the longitudinal center of said planes, said chamber having equal, opposite square embrasures, an inflatable, cylindrical balloon adapted to be inserted in said chamber and when inserted to place said planes and said struts under tension, and liatures encircling said planes and resisting t e tension of said balloon.

This specification signed this 17 th. day of February, 1923.

SAMUEL GORDDN. 

